


Viva La Vida

by Llwyden ferch Gyfrinach (Llwyden)



Category: Dresden Files (TV)
Genre: M/M, Yuletide 2008
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-22
Updated: 2010-06-22
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:43:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/96224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llwyden/pseuds/Llwyden%20ferch%20Gyfrinach
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident leads to an opportunity for Harry and Bob.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Viva La Vida

**Author's Note:**

> My first Yuletide, and what fun it was! Thank you very very much to my betas, Muccamukk and especially the amazing and wonderful Arduinna! You both made it a much better story.

You might think that when you're talking about a guy who cracks a smile once a century, saying he's moody is a bit pointless. But the truth is, Bob usually wasn't. Stern, surly, and sarcastic, sure, but he was always right up-front and _there_.

Except for lately. After that whole thing with Justin, he just seemed more withdrawn. I couldn't tell you how I knew it — it wasn't like he spent any more time in his skull, or helped me any less, or was any less scathing when I did something he didn't agree with (which, let's face it, is pretty damn often).

I tried to draw him out about it. Maybe Justin had said or done something? Maybe just revisiting old wounds? But whatever it was, he wasn't saying. I mostly just let it go; I trusted him, now more than ever, and if he was working through something, I'd just let him do it.

Okay, and ask the occasional nosy question. Patience has never been my strong point.

~|~

"So, if my uncle — well, sort of my uncle — could do it that once, d'you think —?"

"Harry, do pay attention; if you mess up this last knot, you'll only end up tripping him."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Harry tied the last complicated knot and held it up for Bob's inspection before setting it on the desk and going to check the bit of scarf he'd gotten off of Sara. "The amplifier seems to be holding; with a bit of luck, any locator spell will catch this first instead of her. You think that'll work?" He nodded back at the knotted twine.

Bob looked pained. "Of course it will work. So long as you kept to my specifications and you do as I instructed." Harry looked shifty, and Bob scowled. "No 'game-time decisions', Harry. Mr Vandyne may not be that bright, but he's come into quite a bit of power, and the last thing you want is to be blasted into the next county."

"Yeah, okay." Harry sighed.

"I am _serious_, Harry! If you —"

"Okay, okay, I get it, Bob!"

Bob sighed but subsided. "I am only concerned for your safety, Harry."

Harry waited for the "after all, what would happen to me if anything happened to you?" When it didn't come, he eyed Bob curiously.

"What?"

"Nothing." Harry shook his head, and Bob gave him that eyebrows-up look. "Nothing!" He waved it off. "Anyway, he should notice soon she's gone, and then he'll come looking for her."

"Mm." Bob nodded. "Well, we had best get moving."

~|~

If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that the bad guys never wait for you to carefully lay out your plans. Doesn't ever stop me trying, though. Call it the old college try. Except I never went to college, so I've also learned it pays to have a quick and dirty backup. Fortunate for me; not always so fortunate for my furniture or my landlady. So, when Allan Vandyne blew through my door before I could get more than half of the new wards set up, I can't say I was surprised. I just hoped he still would be.

~|~

"Give me the girl!"

Harry grabbed up his staff and held it hockey blade back, pointing the end at Vandyne. Not that it'd do much good from what he'd seen, but it made him feel better. "That's real original. You go to clichéd villain school for that?"

Vandyne scowled and stepped forward, looming unnaturally large. He was almost as tall as Harry, but bulky, and the presence of his stolen power filled the room. "I want her back!"

"Well, she doesn't want you, so you can't have her." Harry shifted his grip and smiled in a way he hoped was disarming as he inched toward his desk. They had the containment spell set up at least; he'd hoped to have him on the ropes first, but if he could just hit him with it... "Now, why don't you be a good little boy and just let it go."

Vandyne raised a hand and brought it down on one wooden chair, smashing it. Harry winced and dove for the desk. An arcane bolt flew by in front of him him and he backpedalled, barely missing it.

"Harry, look out!" He whirled at Bob's shout and just missed getting hit by another bolt. Where the hell had this guy found that kind of power? He'd been a no-account hedge wizard until a month ago, barely on the Council's radar.

"Come on, Allan." Harry edged a little closer to the desk. "Do you really want to do this? I mean, think about it. Killing people, black magic...doesn't go over too well."

Vandyne's eyes narrowed and he raised a hand, pointing at Harry. "Give me my wife, and I'll let you live."

Harry shifted to step closer to the desk — almost there — and another bolt flew past him. Great; an itchy trigger-finger, too. What he really needed was a distraction. He flicked his eyes over at Bob, who looked back questioningly. "Can't do that, Allan." He flicked his eyes at the desk, then the intruder, then back to Bob, and raised his eyebrows, cocking his head.

"Do you intend to keep chasing her around the world?" Bob asked smoothly, stepping in between the two of them. He blocked Vandyne's view of Harry, talking to keep his attention. "You know she left you of her own accord. You may as well give up. If you get her back, she will leave you again. Because she _doesn't love you_."

Harry's fingers closed around the loop of twine on the desk as Vandyne howled in denial and sent a blast straight at Bob. The containment spell went sailing towards the intruder as his blast shocked through the startled-looking spirit, briefly tinting Bob's entire countenance green. And the containment smacked into Vandyne's head, expanding and wrapping him tightly as the same green blast smacked into Harry, knocking him back over the desk and making him see stars.

He lay there panting for a moment; he wanted to shake his head to clear it, but it felt a lot like something might shake free if he did.

"Harry?" Bob's face swung into view; he looked more worried than Harry'd seen him in a while. Well, at least since the last close call.

"'M okay," he mumbled. He curled his hand around the back of his neck, wincing. "Bit of whiplash, maybe." He turned to pull himself up and Bob hovered, hands half out as if wanting to help.

Harry peered over the desk to make sure Vandyne was still contained, then gave Bob a smile that was equal part grimace. "Thanks. Let's let Morgan know he can come pick this guy up." He waved at the mummy-wrapped, faintly sparkling thing in the middle of his living room. "Think we should put a bow on him?"

"That will be unnecessary, Dresden." Harry turned to see Morgan stepping forward. "Do you really think with as much power as he's been throwing around, we wouldn't know when he turned up again?"

"Good point." Harry looked at him. "So where were you a couple minutes ago?"

Morgan glowered. Not that it was much different from his usual expression. "I've told you. We —"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Harry waved it off with a sigh. "You can't be everywhere at once. You owe me for this one, you know." He pointed a finger at the Warden.

Morgan gave him a sour look. Or maybe just looked at him; it was hard to tell with Morgan.

~|~

Wardens, cops — there's really not a lot to choose between the two. They both protect the world from nasty things, they both work with me from time to time, and mostly they pretty much hate my guts. And when something happens here, they come over, they swarm all over the place, one or two sneak peeks at everything — just out of curiosity, naturally — while the rest do whatever they came for.

In this case, they collected Vandyne and made sure there wasn't any residual energy from his attack hanging around to cause trouble later. At least with the Wardens, they're a bit more careful about what they poke at, and they leave Bob's skull alone. Still, I was glad to see them go; there's only so much being looked at like a bug I can take. Besides, I had a splitting headache.

~|~

Harry collapsed on the couch with a groan, aching all over.

"Harry?"

He could hear the concern in Bob's voice, and waved it off without opening his eyes. "I'm fine, Bob. Just tired."

"Mm. You don't seem to have taken any lasting harm," Bob agreed reluctantly. "I still don't know why. Harry, you saw what his power did to those others. I felt it as it moved through me; I frankly don't know why it didn't kill you."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe going through you dissipated it enough." He cracked an eye open. "Hey, you sure _you're_ okay?"

Bob gave him a look. "I'm still here, aren't I? I don't exactly have a body to blast my soul out of." He looked thoughtful. "Perhaps if he had hit my skull...well." He shrugged. "Best we didn't find out, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Gift, horse's mouth, got it." Harry nodded, then winced as his head swam. He took a deep breath and let it out, relaxing deliberately. "I need some sleep." He squirmed back into the couch, getting comfortable.

"I'll keep an eye on your aura, just in case," Bob announced.

"Thanks." Harry yawned, sighed, and fell asleep.

~|~

In my line of work, I probably don't get enough sleep. Late nights, early mornings, wake-up calls at every hour — and not early enough pay or sex to make up for it. And when I do sleep, well — like Shakespeare said, there's the rub. Not a lot of my dreams are very pleasant. The bad memories and vague dreads are the good ones — it's the signs and portents I can do without. And it's less easy than you'd think to tell one from the other. Especially when those dreams involve my uncle.

These felt like memories, but ones I didn't remember, if that makes any sense. The house was dark and the rooms were bare — more like what it looked like these days than when he'd actually lived there. He was talking to me, but I couldn't quite hear it. I strained to listen, and the house grew light, and I was a boy, working on lessons, but seeing myself from the outside, watching as I fumbled through another incantation, then grinning when I got it. I tried to tell which one it was, in case it was important, but it slipped away, and I woke up.

~|~

Harry rubbed his eyes and blinked, sitting up. His head still hurt, but he felt a lot less like he'd been steamrollered. A glance outside showed it was still light. "How long've I been asleep?"

"A few hours." Bob was sitting on — well, looking like he was sitting on — the corner of Harry's desk. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah." Harry stood and stretched. "Nothing an aspirin and some food won't cure."

Bob nodded and watched, hovering as usual as Harry made himself a sandwich.

Harry sighed, looking in the icebox. "I'm out of beer." He poured himself a glass of water and mentally reviewed his finances, deciding he could probably spring for a six-pack. "Need to head to the store." He finished eating, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and stuck his plate in the sink. "Might as well get it over with. Anything I need I can pick up there?"

He watched Bob run through their inventory mentally, his lips twisting in thought. "Rock salt; I think you used the last on the stairs. And gelatin."

Harry nodded. "Okay. Be back in a bit." He locked the door behind him and headed up the stairs.

He was halfway up when the pain hit.

 

"Harry?"

Catching his breath, Harry realized he was lying on the steps, cold and wet, and his entire body still sang with the aftermath of pain.

"Harry!"

"Huh? Yeah." He looked down and saw Bob's head stuck halfway through the door, his face wide-eyed and pale.

"Are you all right? What happened?"

Harry winced and rubbed his head. "I dunno. Some sort of attack?" That didn't feel right, though — he'd gotten no sense of malevolence, or of anything, really. Just of — breaking. He took a deep breath and focussed inward. He was a little off, probably the result of being blasted across the room and whatever this had just been, but otherwise... "I think I'm fine. Can you see anything?" He picked himself up and headed slowly back inside.

Bob scrutinized him and shook his head. "Your aura's clean, as far as I can see. Anyway, I felt it, too."

"Really? That's weird. An area attack, or something?" Anything that could affect Bob had to be big. "To stop anyone leaving, maybe?"

"I don't know." Bob shook his head. "Whatever it was, it never set off the wards, either." He nodded at the symbols carved into the lintel, still and quiet.

"Well." Harry took a deep breath. "Only one way to find out."

"Yes." Bob nodded and headed for the lab.

Harry headed for the stairs.

~|~

Some folks will tell you I'm stubborn. Mostly, those are people who've met me. Or heard of me. Some might say I'm a glutton for punishment. That'd be Bob. And maybe Murphy. Okay, and probably Morgan. And — well, okay, never mind. The point is, I'm not. I don't really like pain. It's not like I say, "Gee, it's a slow Tuesday, why don't I shove an icepick through my eye?" But sometimes, it really is the only way to get any answers. So, I spent a few hours walking up and down my stairs. Slowly. I learned to feel when the pain was coming, 'cause it wasn't just a sudden thing. When I wasn't running up the stairs, I could feel it start slow and gradually get worse. And it didn't always seem to be exactly the same place, though nearly.

~|~

Harry frowned. "It's like someone's put up some kind of barrier." He rubbed his neck, eyeing the door. "Looks like someone wants to keep me at home."

"Hm." Bob looked a bit shaky. "House arrest, do you think?"

Harry considered it for a moment and shook his head. "Nah. Not that I'd put it past the Council, but if it were them, you know Morgan'd be around to gloat. Sorry, to 'inform me of my situation'." He gestured at Bob. "And they'd have no reason to target you; it's not like you're going anywhere without me."

"Thank you for that reminder."

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded in vague apology. "You think maybe Vandyne?" He shrugged, stumped. "Some kind of nonspecific barrier to stop any wizards from leaving here, so I couldn't run off till he was done?"

Bob shook his head. "It is possible, I suppose. Except with the amount of power it would have taken, we surely would have felt him earlier. And something that nonspecific would have stopped the Wardens leaving as well."

Harry grimaced in agreement, then snapped his fingers. "Except they left with him."

Bob conceded the point with a nod.

Harry sighed. "All right. I suppose I'd better call Morgan, see if he can worm it out of the guy."

Bob nodded. "Meanwhile, we can research. Once we find out what it is, with luck we can break it ourselves."

~|~

I wasn't surprised to see Morgan looking cranky; he pretty much never looks anything but. I _was_ surprised to see him at all, given that my message had specifically said the barrier might stop anybody from leaving. Remember what I said about not liking pain? Being trapped at home with him once was enough for a lifetime.

~|~

"Morgan! You —"

"Dresden," he interrupted, "there is no barrier around this place."

"Not that we can see, either, but I still can't leave!" Harry pointed out.

"I have come and gone three times already."

Figured. Morgan and his stupid invisibility whatever. "Something specific to me, then? What did Vandyne say? You did ask?"

"Of course." Morgan gave him a dirty look. "He didn't know what I was talking about. And believe me," he raised his voice a little to intercept Harry's objection, his expression turning colder, "he _wasn't_ lying."

Harry made a disgusted noise. "Someone else, then? Right at the same time? I mean, what are the odds?"

"That you have an enemy, Dresden? I can't imagine."

Harry gave him a disgusted smile. "Something's going on here, Morgan. Are we sure Vandyne was acting alone?" He was grasping at straws and he knew it, and Morgan didn't even dignify the question with a response, just stared at him.

After a moment, though, Morgan lifted his eyes to the heavens for patience. "Try it again now. I'll see if I can spot anything."

Harry winced, but held up his hands in capitulation, not wanting Morgan to think he was objecting. If he'd actually managed to get an offer of help, he was sure as hell taking it. "Yeah. Okay." He eyed the stairs warily, took a deep breath, and headed slowly up them.

"Stop."

Harry turned at Morgan's voice, already feeling a bit strained, but Morgan was looking at Bob, who'd stepped closer.

Morgan narrowed his eyes at the spirit. "Stay where you are. Dresden, keep going."

Shooting Bob a puzzled look and getting an equally baffled one in return, Harry turned and took another few steps. His head was pounding and he felt like he was tearing apart from the inside. He managed one more step — not even as far as he'd gotten the last few times he'd tried — and couldn't force himself further, or think beyond the pain. He thought he heard Morgan speaking, then the pain let up a little, and he opened his eyes to see him and Bob standing at the door. Morgan looked him up and down and nodded. "Come inside, Dresden."

~|~

Whatever that had been about, I felt like crap. But Morgan looked like he had an idea. And say what you would about the guy — pompous, smug, unforgiving, overbearing...well, whatever. He was a damn good wizard. So I shoved myself off the ground and collapsed onto my couch again, nursing my head and the last of my restorative tea. Morgan leaned against my desk, watching me, and Bob hovered, looking pale and concerned.

~|~

"Well?" Harry raised his eyebrows, waiting to be enlightened.

"Describe the fight to me. Everything Vandyne did and said from the time he walked in."

"Okay. Well, he didn't knock, and he wasn't much for conversation. I'll have to fix the locks again. He threatened a lot, fired off a bolt, knocked me across the room." He gestured at where he'd landed.

Morgan gave him a look. "Step by step. Tell me _everything_ you remember."

Harry groaned.

~|~

But I did. And then again. And again, from the point he'd blasted me till I'd landed on the floor. I described everything I could remember about that bolt, as well as my conjectures about its nature, based on what we'd found out earlier. So did Bob. Morgan didn't bother to share, so I eventually gave in and asked.

~|~

"So, what — you think he did do this somehow? Not intentionally, but wounded me or something?"

"No." Morgan pointed his chin at the arm of the sofa, where Bob was still standing close. "Not you. Him."

Harry blinked and looked from him to Bob.

Bob looked back in mingled shock, amusement, and disbelief. "You think he somehow managed to hurt _me_? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a little beyond that."

Morgan's face darkened, whether at the mockery in Bob's tone or being forced to talk to him, Harry couldn't say. "Nevertheless. His bolt went through you and clearly spent some power, since it didn't kill you, Dresden."

"Yeah, but —" Harry broke off at Morgan's look.

"Vandyne intended to tear his soul free from his body; the bolt went through him with that intent, then into you with diminished power." Morgan nodded at him. "I can see his taint on you. And it's not how far you are from here that causes you pain; it's how far you are from _him_."

Harry opened his mouth to object; then the tests of the morning ran through his head, and he stopped. "Crap. You're right." He looked at Bob. "And that explains why you feel it, too."

Bob shook his head and opened his mouth, but he couldn't seem to get out a denial.

~|~

Well. This was certainly unexpected. Not that it should've come as quite as much of a shock as it did — I mean, what kind of investigator am I? I salvaged my pride by pointing out to myself that Morgan was trained for this kind of thing, and that Bob and I were so used to working together that we'd completely missed that his imprint on me was a bit stronger than usual. Not to mention, my head was splitting open, which didn't make for the best of thinking. Of course, while all that maybe made me feel a little better, it didn't solve the main problem.

~|~

Harry sighed and looked at Morgan. "Now what?"

Morgan looked back. "Why should I know or care?"

"Hey!" Harry stood up and stalked over to Morgan, pointing back at Bob. "This happened to us catching some guy that should've been your job in the first place. If it was one of your people wounded in this, what would you do?"

"Neither of you is 'my people', Dresden." Morgan scowled.

"Yeah?" Harry smirked. "Well, I can't exactly stay in my place all the time. So I guess I'll just be carrying Bob's skull with me everywhere, keeping him close by, out in the open all the time. That's not a recipe for disaster or anything."

Morgan scowled and took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll ask the Council and let you know what they say. Don't go anywhere until then." He looked at Bob and Harry followed his gaze. When he turned back, Morgan was gone.

~|~

I've never exactly been real good at following orders. So naturally, when I'm told to stay put, my immediate reaction is to want to go somewhere else. But despite what I'd threatened, this was Bob we were talking about. Sure we bickered all the time, and he drove me downright crazy, but when it came down to it, he was my best friend, the one I'd trust my life with before all others, and I wasn't going to play with him just to make a point. So, we waited.

I suck at waiting.

~|~

"Harry, would you please stop pacing? You're making me dizzy."

"So stop watching." Harry spun around again, throwing up his hands. "I hate this! They've got to find some way to fix this, right? I can't stay cooped up forever!"

Bob looked at him silently, and Harry faltered, then deflated. "Crap. I'm sorry, Bob." He smiled weakly. "I promise when this is over, more time out for you."

Bob returned his smile sadly. "Any claustrophobia I experienced, I left behind me long ago. But I won't say it wouldn't be nice. Don't worry, Harry; I'm sure they'll think of something."

~|~

That was what worried me. See, the Council are the good guys; no-one could argue that. But it didn't mean they were the _nice_ guys. They were pretty much as ruthless as my uncle'd ever been — they just did things for the good of everyone, instead of the good of themselves. And if it came right down to it, I knew they were perfectly capable of locking us both up to keep me from going walkabout with Bob's skull, if they felt it was in everybody's best interests.

I guess I underestimated them.

~|~

"They want to do _what_?" Harry stared at Morgan in horror and disbelief.

Morgan stared back. "If you were to die, your soul would lose its hold in your body. The part of him that is trapped there would be pulled back into him, and you would be free."

"And dead," Harry reminded him. "Don't forget the dead part."

"Not entirely, and only temporarily, Dresden. We would stop your death at the right moment, then revive you."

Harry waved it off, not certain he wanted to trust the Council's ability or conscience on that. All it took was one of them being less-than-committed to this... "No thanks. What other ideas are there?"

"There's one other," Morgan said quellingly. "Leaving you like this, trapped and bound to each other. A large portion of the Council sees it as a very fitting punishment."

"For what?" Harry shot angrily. "For trying to help you and do the right thing?"

Morgan didn't answer.

"There is another option," Bob offered in a low voice.

"Huh?" Harry looked at him hopefully, then frowned and shook his head, his eyes going wide as his heart plummeted. "No. Uh-uh. No way, Bob, you are not even _thinking_ —"

"It would _work_, Harry!"

"What, if they got rid of you? Forget it!"

"It isn't an option in any case," Morgan cut through Harry's vehement denials. "It was considered and rejected." His eyes on Bob were stony. "Your punishment will not end that way."

Bob sighed. "Well. I had to offer. Despite the —" He broke off, and Harry looked at him, then peered more closely. He had that look about him that said he'd had some sort of epiphany.

"Bob?"

Bob paced to the end of the room, his raised finger punctuating thoughts they couldn't hear. He stopped, spun, and faced Morgan. "Morningway. The Council took possession of the corpse, yes? After his latest attempt?"

Morgan narrowed his eyes suspiciously and didn't answer.

Bob sighed. "He held the secret that brought me back; he took it with him to his grave. When I died again, I returned to my skull as you see me." He took a deep breath. "Bring me back, then kill me. You won't have to worry about the timing, or making sure every little thing in the spell is right; there are none of the risks involved with killing Harry, and it stands a much better chance of success. As my soul leaves my body, it will dissipate from Harry's as well, and everything will be back to normal."

Morgan shook his head. "Even if the secret is still with Morningway, you expect us to chance bringing you back?"

Bob rolled his eyes. "In a place and time of the Council's choosing, under carefully controlled circumstances, with whatever security you demand, yes. Unless you're dying to put Harry's life at risk for helping you. This is the sensible option."

~|~

Morgan actually looked a bit troubled when Bob was done talking. I could guess why. See, what with the Council being the good guys and all, revenge isn't supposed to be something they go for. Now, they're only human — well, most of them — but if there were a reasonable option that _didn't_ involve possibly killing me for good, they should've jumped at the chance. Only none of them had come up with this.

~|~

"Maybe they're just no good at thinking outside the box." Harry played with a deck of cards, doing tricks his dad had taught him to avoid seeing anything in the patterns. He hated waiting; he hated knowing more.

"It is possible," Bob agreed. "And remember, Harry, their justice is unforgiving."

"I know." He shuffled the deck and flipped a card through his fingers, looking at Bob. "If they do decide to go for it, are you sure you're okay with it?"

Bob gave him a look of long suffering. "If I didn't think it would work, I would not have suggested it."

"Yeah." Another card flipped through his fingers, but Harry kept his eyes on Bob. "That wasn't what I asked."

Bob grew still, looking back.

"You've been acting weird ever since it happened the first time. You sure you're okay to do it again?"

"It's the only way, Harry."

"No, it's not."

"The best way, then."

"Probably." Harry nodded and pointed a card at Bob. "Still not what I asked."

"Oh, for heaven's —" Bob sighed. "Yes, Harry, I'll be fine. I just...well, I'd be lying if I said I was looking forward to it."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I can see that." He flipped the cards again, set them on the table, and determinedly stalked to the center of the floor to settle in for some yoga. "Damn, I could use a beer."

~|~

Remember what I said about the Council not being nice? Yeah. Mostly, they're stuck-up, unforgiving, cold-hearted, scary bastards. They wouldn't know good intentions if they bit them in the ass, they see everything in black and white, and they wouldn't lift a finger to help someone if they couldn't see some greater good behind it.

But, every now and again, they do surprise me.

~|~

"Very well." Morgan looked down at Harry, who scrambled up from the pose he'd twisted himself into. "The Council have agreed to your proposal."

"With Bob?"

Morgan crossed his arms. "We _will_ put up a barrier for the duration of the spell. Neither of you will leave these premises while this is going on. We will bring the sorcerer back, monitor you both, and then kill him, with the understanding that this is voluntary, and in no way negates any punishment or obligations you may have."

"Understood." Bob nodded.

"No." Harry raised a hand as they both looked at him in amazement. "I mean, yes, definitely, but — you owe us one."

Morgan scowled. "We are doing this for you, Dresden!"

"No," Harry pointed out patiently. "You're doing the right thing in the best way possible, and I thank you for it, and it's your _job_. I want a favor." He hurried on before Morgan could cut him off. "You're bringing Bob back, fine." He raised a finger at Morgan. "Twenty-four hours."

"What?" Morgan looked as if he'd asked him to slaughter babies.

"Twenty-four hours." Harry crossed his arms and stood his ground. "We caught Vandyne for you — how many people did that save? Not to mention Ancient Mai still owes me for that ... thing." He waved his hand vaguely. "Look, Morgan, we've been helping out for ages now. One favor. You owe me. You owe us."

"Dresden..."

Harry grinned. "That's not a no."

"Harry, do you really think it's wise to —"

"No, Bob, probably not." Harry faced his friend soberly. "But it's cruel to bring you back just to kill you, and you deserve better."

"And you think leaving it for a day will make it any better?" Bob's gaze was reproachful.

"I doubt it." It was a new voice, and Harry spun around, startled, to see Ancient Mai standing by Morgan. "If you want to do the right thing, you do the right thing, Dresden. You don't expect favors in return."

"I don't." Harry crossed his arms and tried to seem defiant, despite the fact that the Ancient always freaked him out. "But every now and again, it'd be nice."

She stalked toward and then around him, then around Bob, eyeing him up and down. "Quite frankly, Dresden, I'm intrigued. The fact that the sorcerer would do this for you, and that you would ask this favor for him... I'm curious as to what he might do with such a day." She looked between the two of them. "It could easily have a bearing on the future for both of you."

"So you'll do it?"

She narrowed her eyes at Harry. "Twenty-four hours. Here, or in a place of the Council's choosing. Don't think you will escape from us."

Harry grinned at her, then managed to bow with a bit more dignity. "Thank you."

She snorted. "Thank me later."

~|~

We opted for my place; I was honestly terrified of any "place of the Council's choosing". This might not be much, but it's home. Didn't seem real fair Bob still didn't get to go anywhere, but I laid in a ton of food and drink, the best I could afford after the landlady's kid got his cut for delivering. I went a little crazy, actually, but I was sure Murphy'd come through with a job before next month's rent was due. How often did Bob get to actually eat?

~|~

"So, why didn't you tell me?" They were standing in Harry's lab, the entire back end all but denuded except for the circle the Council's wizards had set up. They were taking no chances, setting up the initial spell to bring Bob back with a deadline, just in case he somehow got out.

"Tell you what?" Bob was watching the wizards work, his arms crossed as he stood near Harry, close enough to touch if he'd been real.

"About what?" Harry looked at him incredulously. "About this. That there was still a way to bring you back."

Bob gave him the look that said he was being stupid. "And what would you have done, Harry?"

"Well, I —" He glanced over at the Council wizards.

"Exactly," Bob said dryly. "And then what? It would have been too much of a temptation."

"You managed." Harry smiled at him.

"I didn't have much choice." Bob smiled back. "But I saw no reason to put you through that."

Any reply Harry would have had was interrupted by the wizard coordinating things for the Council. "We're ready."

~|~

After all the waiting, the spell itself was kind of an anticlimax. It usually is — it's the preparation that's the nerve-wracking part. When you're in the middle of casting something, you're not worrying about what's going to happen; if you are, it's too late. When you're standing by and watching, unless you're going for something showy, a spell itself is pretty boring. So I stood, and I waited, and I watched, and then Bob stumbled and sucked in a breath of actual air, and when I was done being awestruck, I just managed to catch him before he hit the floor.

~|~

"Bob, you okay?" It was weird, holding him, feeling his weight; Harry shifted his grip to support him better.

Bob looked up at him a little blearily. "Fine, I think." He pulled himself straight, blinked, and looked around.

The Council wizards were eyeing them, and Harry nodded, smiling tightly. "Thanks, guys. 'Preciate it. We'll just head upstairs now." He hustled Bob up the staircase and over to the couch, away from their watchful eyes. "You want some tea, or...? Never mind; I'll get the tea."

"Harry, I'm _alive_, not an invalid," Bob said peevishly.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, okay." He watched him for a second. "So, you want tea?"

Bob's lips quirked. "As long as you've washed the pot in the last month."

Harry rolled his eyes. "What, like it's going to kill you if I didn't? Wait here."

 

Harry watched as Bob drank the tea as if it were purest ambrosia, not even critiquing the taste. He ran his hands over his mug, feeling the warm ceramic, and held each sip in his mouth, his eyes half-closed.

Harry jumped, startled from his contemplation, as the Council's wizards trooped through, giving them a significant look as they left.  
"Twenty-four hours," their leader reiterated before he closed the door.

"Aah," Harry waved a disgusted hand after them. "We got it already." He turned back to Bob and smiled. "Hungry?"

~|~

I'd bought steaks, and cooked them to the best of my ability, which actually isn't half bad, when I put some effort into it. I fried up some potatoes and vegetables, and okay, it was probably kind of greasy, but Bob didn't seem to mind. He ate with single-minded intensity, and his smile was amazing.

~|~

"You know, Harry, a meal like this really needs a good red wine," Bob said hopefully.

"Sorry, Bob," Harry apologized insincerely. "Drink your beer and like it."

Bob sniffed. "This is the treatment I get on my one day out?" But he was smiling. He'd been doing that a lot. At the feel of his fork, and the condensation on his bottle, and the taste of his food.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, well, at least I know beer. I just bet you're picky about your wine."

"Guilty as charged." Bob bowed his head ruefully. "But I know your uncle taught you a few things about culture," he added with a knowing look.

"Yeah, okay," Harry admitted, "I probably could've chosen a decent one. I like beer, okay?"

"Ah, well. I suppose I can't hope to cure you of all your heathen ways." Bob shook his head mournfully.

"Nope." Harry toasted him with his beer bottle, and Bob chuckled.

Dessert was a rich, gooey, chocolate cake of the type that Harry'd never justify buying for himself. Bob ate it slowly, with an awestruck look. "I begin to understand what all the fuss is about. I think I could learn to like chocolate."

Harry watched his face, and it suddenly hit him — _only for a day_. It was like a blow, and he set down his fork, unable to keep going.

"Harry?" Bob looked at him, and he just looked back. Bob's face turned expressionless, though a determined passion shone in his eyes. "Now you know why Ancient Mai said it wouldn't be easier."

"I'm so sorry, Bob. I never thought —"

"You rarely do, Harry." Bob shook his head, but he was smiling again. "Never mind. It will be hard, but I wouldn't give this up. Some things are worth the pain."

Harry smiled back as best he could and stood to set the dishes in the sink. "I wish we'd at least been able to convince them to let us go out or something. I mean, they put a time limit on you — what do they think it'd hurt?"

"They don't know, Harry; they just don't trust me." Bob brought his empty plate over, his fingers sliding over the edge as he set it down.

Harry snorted his opinion of that. "It's not much of a day out, though. I mean, I could get you some movies, but you watch them anyway. We could brew up some potions, but you do that anyway." He waved at the food. "This was the only thing I could think of that'd actually be _living_, you know?"

"It's wonderful, Harry," Bob assured him. "Thank you." He shook his head. "I don't need to go and have some grand outing to experience being alive. I am alive; everything is an experience."

"Yeah?" Harry smiled at him. "So, you're doing the dishes, right?"

Bob snorted. "Not on your life."

 

They did watch a movie, though; some horrible sappy thing that Bob paid less attention to than the popcorn. Harry paid it no attention at all; watching Bob was much more fun.

"What do you think?"

"Hm." Bob rolled a piece of popcorn through his fingers, crumbling its petals and digging his nails into it with a crunch. "It is certainly interesting." He dropped it back into the bowl and picked up another piece, tossing it into his mouth. "Sweeter than I had expected," he noted thoughtfully.

"Sweet?" Harry eyed it dubiously, then shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"Mm." Bob held out the bowl for him. "Here."

"I eat popcorn all the time, Bob."

"Ah, but do you really taste it?"

The look Bob gave him was the one he wore when teaching him something, laced with the intensity of everything he'd done this evening, and Harry took a piece of popcorn obediently, watching Bob as he ate it, doing his best to focus on the taste, as if he were eating it for the first time.

"Well?" Bob smiled at him.

Harry shook his head, but he couldn't help but smile back. "I dunno. Not sure I see it." He took a handful and munched on it, watching Bob as he studied each kernel, giving it a lot more thought than popcorn really warranted. Struck with a sudden urge, he grinned and pelted his last kernel at Bob, hastily grabbing up more.

Bob looked at him, surprised. "Harry, what —"

Harry threw another one. "Bet you've never had a food fight."

Bob gave him a look. "No, nor am I having one now. Of all the experiences I'd hoped to have, that is not — Harry!"

It took two more pieces before he gave in.

 

"Well, I have no idea who won, but I can tell you who's lost." Bob eyed the rug dubiously. "Whoever it is cleaning this up." Popcorn was smashed into the pile and scattered over the room. "And that won't be me," he pointed out with a smirk.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Harry gave him a sideways look. "All the mess, none of the cleaning."

"Immensely," Bob agreed. He stood and looked at the mess, going very still.

"Bob?"

"Hm." He cocked his head, and Harry waited.

Bob raised one hand as if conducting, and the popcorn followed suit, hovering, then swirling its way back to the bowl in a buttery cloud.

The look on Bob's face made the breath catch in Harry's throat.

~|~

Magic. I hadn't even thought of that. When something's so much a part of your life, it doesn't occur to you. Just like I hadn't bothered to think of "what will it be like for him to breathe?" I hadn't stopped to think of the fact that Bob could do magic again. Not just writing runes and remembering potions, but actual magic, affecting the world around him.

For twenty-four hours.

~|~

"Bob?" Harry tentatively put a hand on his shoulder, still marveling at being able to touch him.

"Hm?" Bob looked back at him, his mask of indifference only half restored.

"Sure you don't want to do the dishes?"

~|~

He did them. And straightened the place, and cleaned the kettle, and every other thing he's harped on me about for the last year or five. It was straight out of _Fantasia_, only without the brooms going crazy. I helped a little — it only seemed fair, if he was gonna spend hours of his one day cleaning up after me — but he really seemed to enjoy it. He even mended one chair and changed the color of the tapestry by the fireplace. A profligate use of magic, he'd have said if I did it, but he didn't need to worry about attacks tomorrow or helping the next client, and I left him to it. Maybe I made a bit of a note of what he thought was most important, too. I'm not exactly heartless, am I?

When he finished that, he stood squarely facing the door and raised his face to my wards. When he was done, he stumbled, and didn't shake me off when I caught him. And nothing less than a major demon was ever coming through that door.

~|~

"There." Bob straightened himself as best he could and nodded at Harry.

"Thanks." His arm still around Bob, Harry patted his shoulder. "Come on; sit down before you fall down."

Bob didn't protest as Harry led him back to the couch. He sat and faced Harry, gripping his shoulder tight. "I couldn't live with myself — so to speak — if I didn't do whatever I could to keep you safe, Harry."

"I appreciate it, Bob." Harry sat close to him and rubbed his shoulder. "Just don't run yourself down, okay? You've still got," he checked the clock, "about another eighteen hours."

Bob chuckled. "I could have the whole place cleaned by then."

"Bob." Harry raised a finger at him. "I did _not_ get you extra time so you could clean up after me."

"I don't mind." Bob grabbed his finger and shook it, then leaned back against the couch, his eyes closing. "I do believe I'm rather tired," he said, his voice happy.

"Minding's not the point." Harry nudged him. "What would you like to do? What would make you happiest?"

"Me?" A faint frown crossed Bob's face, and he opened his eyes to look at Harry.

"Yes, you." It suddenly occurred to Harry that everything they'd done had been his suggestion of things Bob might like. He had seemed to like them, but — "What do _you_ want? For yourself, forget about me."

The corners of Bob's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "I could never do that, Harry."

"Bob."

"Harry." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder, his fingers circling on the cotton of his shirt. "I'm all right. Don't worry. And please don't ask too much of me."

"For me, then." It was suddenly very important. Harry shook his head at the stupidity of having to defeat the purpose of his request to get it. "It would make me happy to do something that would make you happy, okay?"

Bob gave him a look that said he wasn't fooled. Harry nodded him on.

"And what if I say it makes me happy to do things that make you happy, hm?"

Harry made a disgusted noise. "That doesn't get us anywhere!"

"Ah, but it's a very good kind of nowhere." Bob's voice was barely above a whisper. The faint smile faded from his face; beneath his usual reserved demeanor he seemed curiously tense. "You know, I can think of one other thing to do that doesn't require leaving this place. I've been thinking of it for a while." His hand lifted to Harry's cheek and slid forward over his jaw, coaxing his head down. Harry went as if mesmerized, the breath catching in his throat, and Bob's lips met his softly.

Harry's head swam, and he felt faint; he realized he'd stopped breathing, and sat back, pulling in air and blinking at Bob stupidly. Bob gave him a look that wasn't quite a smile.

"Bob?"

"Harry." He just sat there, quiet, waiting.

~|~

I — wow. Just, wow. Okay, so I was a little bit flustered. I mean, I know I should be used to the unexpected by now. But I'd known Bob most of my life; he'd been my first teacher, and the only one to show me real affection after my father died. We'd been together — not like that — a really long time. And I had never seen this coming.

~|~

"Harry?" Bob's voice was quiet. He reached up and put his hand a hair's breadth from Harry's face, not quite cradling it. "You said I had been acting strange since your uncle brought me back." He took a deep breath. "As much as I have made peace with my existence, it was hard to give up that chance. And it was made both harder and easier by the fact that the last thing I felt was your arms around me."

Harry drew in a breath that was almost a sob. "How can you — if we — this is what you want?"

"Only if you do." His hand closed the last distance and settled on Harry's cheek. "Shall we make the most of the time that we have?"

~|~

Everything Bob had done so far that day — eating, cleaning, walking even — had been focussed, single-minded. I recognized it for what it was — he was experiencing everything to the fullest, filing it all away for later, to remember. I wasn't surprised he made love the same way. We lay in my bed and he slid his hands over me, feeling everything, watching me so closely I squirmed. He leaned close and sniffed me, flicked out his tongue to taste my sweat. I did my best to let him do it.

~|~

"Bob." Harry's voice was strained, and he clutched the sheets in tight fists. "Only a day here."

"Let me take my time, Harry." Bob kissed him, and Harry relaxed. "Or you could always return the favor."

Harry swallowed and looked at him, his hand slowly reaching out to settle on Bob's pale skin. "Don't think that's an invitation I can refuse."

Bob's eyes fell half shut. "I should hope not." The words were smug, but his smile was gentle.

~|~

So I took him up on it. And he took it all in the same way he'd dished it out. I don't know how he lasted more than a minute. Especially when you consider how long it must've been; I mean, really.

I found myself noticing the stupidest things, like the fact he was warm, and that he had the calluses that came from heavy use of a mortar and pestle. The hair on his arms and legs was a shade darker than on his head. He was uncircumcised. He had a faint scar a couple inches long just below his ribs on the left. Little things, things I'd never known before, though I'd seen him, worked with him every day for years.

There was so much energy in the air, I think we could've lit the place up for about a year. We couldn't keep the slow pace up forever. And after a while, even Bob didn't much want to.

We lay in my bed for a while afterwards. We were both too exhausted to move by that point, but damned if we were wasting Bob's one day alive by sleeping.

~|~

"Thank you, Harry." Bob stroked his chest, his fingers tracing old scars.

"You're welcome, I guess." Harry tried not to squirm.

"You guess?" Harry could hear the amusement in Bob's voice.

"Well, who the hell says thank you after sex? Thank you for what?" Harry opened one eye to give him an odd look.

"You could have said no," Bob pointed out.

"Well..." Harry opened his mouth and tried to find something to say; after a moment, he shrugged. "Why would I want to?"

Bob smiled and leaned on his elbow, looking down at Harry. "You often do, when I ask you to bring a girl back here."

"That's because you always want me to sleep with my clients!" Harry objected, scowling.

"Ah. So it's not me, it's them?" Bob's raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, more or less," Harry admitted. "Which doesn't mean you can talk me into bringing any of them back here!"

"Doesn't it?"

Harry opened his mouth, looked away, looked back. "Okay, it probably does. If you want." He held up a hand. "But not clients, and not every girl you like!"

"Agreed." Bob smirked.

Harry looked at him. "You want that? It wouldn't bother you?" He stroked Bob's hip, looking down at the pale skin under his hand.

Bob lifted his chin and kissed him softly. "I like seeing you happy, Harry." He leaned down further and murmured in his ear. "And I enjoy watching you come."

Harry shivered.

~|~

Okay, okay, so anyway. We didn't spend the whole rest of the time having sex. I mean, there's only so much you can do in twenty-four hours, even if one of you is a severely horny guy who hasn't had sex in several hundred years. Actually, we spent more time than I would've thought just talking. We finished the beer and broke into my whisky and finished that, too. Bob giggles when he's drunk; don't think I'm letting him live that down any time soon. Or that story about the badger and the absinthe. Hoo boy.

It was weird, though; I mean, talking about things? Not exactly my strong point. Okay, I hate it. But with Bob, it was easier. I knew I'd miss being able to sit with our arms wrapped around each other; stupid as it was, I felt safe like that, and like I was keeping him safe. I don't even know how it happened that I got so attached to him, and how I never noticed it. Like I said, some investigator I am. But when it came time for his day to be up, I wasn't ready for it; I don't know that I ever would've been.

~|~

"This sucks." They were lying in Harry's bed again, Harry's arms around Bob; he wanted to go the same way as last time.

"Agreed." Bob shrugged. "But it was worth it."

"Yeah," Harry conceded with a sigh. "I guess I have something to thank my good-for-nothing uncle and that idiot Vandyne for."

"Even evil has its uses?" Bob suggested.

Harry snorted. "Tell that to the Council."

"No, thank you," Bob answered wryly. "I'll leave the windmill-tilting to you."

"Coward."

Bob just chuckled.

"Damn it, we didn't have nearly enough time!" Harry's hands tightened on Bob.

"Harry." Bob stroked his face. "We have the rest of your life." He kissed him once more. His eyes closed, and he made a small sound and relaxed into Harry's arms. Then he was still.

A moment later, his body was gone.

 

"Bob?" Harry raced downstairs, not even bothering to dress; the floor was cold, but it mattered less than making absolutely certain —

"I'm here, Harry." Bob materialized from his skull, and Harry collapsed against the couch with an oof of relief. He started to reach out to him, then turned the gesture into running a hand through his hair.

"So." Harry looked at Bob, at a loss. He shook his head, remembering the reason they'd started all this. "Did it work?"

"You could always try leaving now," Bob answered wryly, looking over his naked frame.

"Hey, no lip from you!" Harry shook a finger at him. "I was worried." He reached for a robe and pulled it on, then straightened and jumped, seeing Morgan just a few feet away, with a pained look on his face.

"A show I could have done without, Dresden."

Harry gave him a look. "You come in unannounced, you deserve what you get. Well?"

Morgan looked them over. "It worked. You no longer have any trace of him in you."

Bob cleared his throat, and Harry choked on his own saliva, turning beet red.

"Don't ask anything else of me, ever, Dresden."

"Of course not," Harry managed, grinning despite his mortification. "Until next time."

Morgan gave him a dirty look and disappeared while Harry was wiping his eyes and catching his breath.

"Bob!" Harry finished coughing.

"Yes, Harry?" Bob gave him an innocent look that wasn't fooling anyone.

Harry raised a finger at him, made a disgusted noise, and waved it off. "Come on." He slid a hand over Bob's skull and lifted it reverently, carrying it upstairs with him. He pulled his robe off again and settled back into bed, lying on half of it and eyeing Bob. "I know it isn't the same, but."

"No." Bob sat next to him. "But thank you again; I had a lovely day."

"Me, too." Harry sighed and shook his head.

Bob smiled. "Close your eyes, Harry."

"Hm?" Harry eyed him a little warily.

Bob mimicked Harry's position on the bed, his face leaning close as if for a kiss. "Close your eyes, Harry."

He came closer still, and Harry did as he asked. A moment later, he felt the shiver and chill of Bob's ghostly flesh moving through his, the spark of presence that meant he was there with him.

~|~

It usually creeps me out, having Bob in me like that. I mean, I've let him "ride along" a couple times, but only when there's no other way to do something. Somehow now, though, it was different. It still set my nerves on edge, but ... well, let's just say there's on edge, and there's _on edge_.

I never did find out what the Council's verdict on our day was, how it might affect our future. I don't know if they know everything we did, and quite frankly I think I'm better off not knowing, and I really don't want to find out how long Morgan was there for, you know what I mean? But they haven't come gunning for us or anything, or treating us any worse than usual, so I guess I'll count it a win. It wasn't the most important thing about that day, anyway.

The most important thing was that some things really are worth the pain. Especially when it comes to people you love.


End file.
